Mandala Murders Netflix Review 2025: Twisted Thriller or Overloaded Mythical Mess?

🕵️‍♂️ A Crime Thriller That Refuses to Stay in Its Lane

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Mandala Murders is not your typical Indian crime thriller. Streaming now on Netflix, it’s a show that could only exist in the digital age—ambitious, sprawling, and steeped in genre experimentation. At its core, it’s about two haunted cops investigating ritualistic killings in a town straight out of a fever dream. But scratch the surface, and you’ll find layers of mythology, science fiction, socio-political commentary, and generational trauma—more than any eight-episode series can reasonably handle.

The setting is Charandaspur, a fictional town that feels like a cross between Bihar and Varanasi, soaked in lore and superstition. It’s here that Vikram Singh (Vaibhav Raj Gupta), a suspended Delhi cop, returns with his father to face the ghosts of his past—quite literally. As brutal murders begin to unfold, each tied to a twisted prophecy, Vikram joins hands with outsider CIB officer Rea Thomas (Vaani Kapoor) to stop a mysterious cult from completing their gruesome checklist.

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🧩 Myth Meets Murder: An Intricate Yet Incoherent Puzzle

Every episode begins with a victim’s flashback and a disturbing death, turning the show into a kind of Final Destinationmeets Indian gothic folklore. The murders follow a cryptic scripture from a secretive cult named Yast, where each body part collected symbolizes a grander, mystical plan. The murders include “a voyeur’s torso,” “arms of demon brothers,” “a princess’ face,” and so on—each more symbolic (and baffling) than the last.

There’s even a sci-fi element—a machine that grants miracles by ingesting human thumbs. Yes, really.

The sheer world-building here is impressive. But the problem? It never pauses to breathe. The show tries to make its dense mythology “accessible” by spelling everything out for the audience. Characters constantly explain their backstories mid-dialogue, as if reading from a Wikipedia page. The result is a tug-of-war between indie storytelling ambition and mass-market packaging.

^{Mandala Murders Netflix Review 2025}

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^{Mandala Murders Netflix Review 2025}

💬 Dialogue That Talks At You, Not To You

One of Mandala Murders’ biggest pitfalls is its exposition-heavy writing. Characters don’t have conversations; they deliver plot points. For instance, Vikram and Ananya (Surveen Chawla) share awkwardly scripted moments that exist solely to catch the viewer up: “You met me 4 years before I met Kavita…” and so on.

Even the emotional stakes feel manufactured. Vikram, our central figure, is burdened with so much trauma—missing mother, comatose girlfriend, family secrets—it’s hard to keep track. Instead of leaning into the psychological tension, the show bombards us with twist after twist, each undoing the last.

^{Mandala Murders Netflix Review 2025}

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🧙‍♀️ The Cult, the Conspiracy, and the Chaos

At the heart of the mystery is a female-led cult seeking retribution and rebirth, which is a compelling idea. The show draws a strong, timely parallel between science and superstition, linearity and chaos, patriarchy and rebellion. The subplot of a physicist displacing religious land for a nuclear plant speaks volumes about faith vs development in modern India.

Yet these bold themes get lost in the overproduction—flashbacks, slow-motion, voiceovers, and a blaring score that drowns out the nuance. Shriya Pilgaonkar, in her brief appearances, is the only one who seems to understand the tone the show is aiming for. Vaani Kapoor, unfortunately, mistakes stoicism for strength, delivering a flat performance in an otherwise juicy role.

^{Mandala Murders Netflix Review 2025}

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^{Mandala Murders Netflix Review 2025}

🎭 Performances, Politics & the Post-Truth Era

The show also throws in a political rivalry subplot, where opposing parties use the murders to gain electoral advantage. While meant to add realism, it ends up being a distraction from the central mythos.

Moreover, Rea and Vikram—both trained city cops—accept the town’s supernatural logic far too quickly. In an age of post-truth media, perhaps this is a subtle critique, but on screen, it feels like lazy writing.

And let’s not forget the dialogue repetition. Older characters say everything twice—as if subtitling themselves. It’s unintentionally funny, but mostly tiring.

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🎬 Final Verdict: A Visionary Mess That Needed Restraint

Mandala Murders is like a brilliant student who dumbs himself down to fit in—and ends up alienating everyone. The show is rich in ideas, but poor in execution. Its refusal to trust the audience—or itself—results in a series that feels like an academic thesis wrapped in K-drama aesthetics.

In a time when Indian creators are learning to innovate under censorship, this series deserves credit for originality. But originality without coherence becomes noise. There’s enough in Mandala Murders to warrant discussion, maybe even admiration—but not quite enough to keep you clicking “Next Episode” without hesitation.

^{Mandala Murders Netflix Review 2025}

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⭐ Rating: 2.5/5

Bold, but burdened. Creative, yet cluttered. A thriller that could’ve been timeless, if it had just taken a breath.

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